


Keys Open Doors

by SuburbanSun



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 21:28:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17149385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuburbanSun/pseuds/SuburbanSun
Summary: “It’s not my birthday.” David took off his sunglasses, his eyebrows a question mark as he looked over at Patrick. “Do you have something to make up for that I’m not yet aware of?”Patrick laughed, holding up both hands as if to prove that he’d done nothing wrong. “There’s nothing you don’t know about. Promise.”David cocked his head to the side, one hand on his hip. “Except what’s in this box.”“That’s kinda the point of wrapping a gift, David.”





	Keys Open Doors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cjmarlowe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjmarlowe/gifts).



Patrick spritzed the succulents at the front of the store for the third time, frowning as water beaded on the lush green leaves. He set the spray bottle on the counter and dabbed at the plants with a tissue, and wished not for the first time that David was just a bit more of an early bird. Or, at least, someone who could be counted on to show up to work before 10 AM.

Still, as his gaze drifted to the small wrapped box that sat beside the cash register, he had to hold back a grin.

The bell above the door jingled, and Patrick leaned against the counter as nonchalantly as he could manage, watching David enter. His sunglasses stayed on, and his shoulders looked tense.

“So, Alexis decided today was precisely the right day to inventory all her hair products,” he said in a huff as the door swung shut behind him. “Only, apparently my product photography skills are superior to hers-- which, let’s face it, makes perfect sense-- so I’ve spent my entire morning cataloguing leave-in sprays versus blow dry mists versus moisturizing masks. And yet when I use up the last of her scalp scrub, suddenly _I’m_ the monster.”

David stopped short at the sight of the box on the countertop, wrapped neatly in craft paper and tied off with a shiny black ribbon.

“It’s not my birthday.” He took off his sunglasses, his eyebrows a question mark as he looked over at Patrick. “Do you have something to make up for that I’m not yet aware of?”

Patrick laughed, holding up both hands as if to prove that he’d done nothing wrong. “There’s nothing you don’t know about. Promise.”

David cocked his head to the side, one hand on his hip. “Except what’s in this box.”

“That’s kinda the point of wrapping a gift, David.”

“Mm. So it is for me, then.”

Patrick circled back behind the counter so they were standing face to face with the small box sitting in between them, then pushed it in David’s direction. “Just open it.”

The indulgent smile on David’s face was among Patrick’s favorites. He watched as David pulled the gift closer, then untied the bow with one smooth motion of his wrist. Something in Patrick’s chest tightened as David tore through the paper, then lifted the lid of the box to reveal a shiny metal key, nestled gently on a bed of crisp, white tissue paper. David looked up, his eyes curious.

“It’s a key.” Patrick bit his lip.

“I gathered that, yeah.”

He looked down, chuckling. “It’s-- it’s to Ray’s place. I know, it’d be a lot better for all parties involved if I could give you a key to my own place, or vice versa, but-- that’s where I live, for now, and I wanted you to be a part of that.”

David pressed his lips together in a tight line, crinkles forming at the corners of his eyes. “No one’s ever given me a key to their place before.” He made an equivocating gesture. “Well, Leonardo DiCaprio did once? But it turned out he just wanted me to dogsit. Did you know he named his dog Oscar? There’s a lot to unpack there.”

Patrick raised his eyebrows, and David nodded, chastised. He delicately picked up the key from its box, cradling it in his palm.

“So, a key to Ray’s place.” He paused, then softer: “Your place.”

“It does come with a few caveats,” Patrick began, leaning forward with his elbows on the counter, his hands clasped together just beside the empty box. “Ray does technically know about it, but he said unless you’re coming or going with me, he’d prefer you use it when he’s not home. And between his real estate business, and his photo sessions, and his travel agent appointments…”

“He’s home a lot.”

“Yeah. Pretty much anytime he’s not showing properties. And at 4:30 on Wednesdays, when he teaches jazzercise in Elmdale.”

David bit back a smile. “So, really, it’s a symbolic key.”

Patrick took the key from David’s hand, rapping it against the countertop a few times. “Well, it _does_ open a lock. Which means it’s a real key.”

“That I can only use when I’m either with you, and therefore wouldn’t need it anyway, or--”

“--or between the hours of 4:30 and 5:45 on Wednesdays, yes.”

“Well, isn’t Ray the _most_ hospitable.” David pressed his palms against the edge of the countertop, angling his body toward Patrick. “Symbolic or otherwise… thank you.”

Patrick ducked his head, the tips of his ears heating up under the warmth of David’s gaze. He turned the key over a few times in his hand. “And, you know, maybe someday, when the time is right and we can afford it, we can… you know, share a key. To our own place.” David didn’t say anything for a moment, and Patrick ran his thumb along the sharp metal ridges of the key before he made himself look up. For all that he felt confident in his relationship with David, this still felt like uncharted territory.

From the look on David’s face, he needn’t have worried. “You know, I was saving for an espresso machine, but that sounds like a much better financial goal,” David said, then leaned forward across the counter to capture Patrick’s lips with his. David’s hand slid around to cup the back of Patrick’s neck, and Patrick let his palm rest along David’s jaw, the weight of the key in his other hand a welcome reminder of the promises they’d just made.

The bell above the front door to the store jangled again, distracting them from the kiss.

“Well, I certainly need a root canal after watching that,” Stevie said as she entered. “And I’m not sure my dental insurance covers that, so… where should I send the bill?”

His hand slipping down to squeeze Patrick’s shoulder, David glared at her. “I can think of one place you can send it.”

“Your customer service is really coming along nicely, David.” She picked up a candle from the front display and sniffed it, then nodded at the key in Patrick’s hand. “What’s that?”

“If you _must_ know,” David began icily, and Stevie stuck out her tongue at him. Patrick rolled his eyes.

“I gave David a key to Ray’s place. Only, Ray has all these rules about when he can use it-- basically, only on Wednesday afternoons.”

Stevie uncapped a lip balm, smoothed some onto her bottom lip, then replaced it in the display. “Oh, so, today, then.”

Patrick furrowed his brow and stood up straighter, meeting David’s gaze across the counter. In his nervousness about giving David the key, it hadn’t even occurred to him what day it was.

“In that case…” David slid his sunglasses back on his face, then took the key from Patrick and tucked it in his pocket. “See you at 4:30?”

Eyebrows raised, Patrick watched him head for the door. “We do have, you know, almost a full workday before then.”

David paused in the doorway, and even with his sunglasses on Patrick could tell he was exasperated. “Mmhmm, and this is our inaugural use of this key. I need to make sure I put my best face forward. I took a photo of one of Alexis’ setting sprays this morning that could _really_ elevate this look.”

The bell jingled as the door shut behind him, and Patrick looked to Stevie for support.

“Hey, don’t look at me--” She held up both hands. “You’re the one who chose to give him a key to your place.”

“Yeah.” Patrick grinned fondly. “I know.”


End file.
